Bards

[Baldrik Ironshield]

What Bard kit is the best for soloing? And is there a list of spells for a solo bard?

[Mahlennacht]

well I know our esteemed Moderator has always argued for the blade, so I recently decided to try soloing a blade for myself. Should be very cool when I get up past level 15,16 or so.

But I've heard from others who have soloed the other bard kits too; however it seems the blade has the most interesting special abilities of the lot

Maybe someone else has a list of essential spells (I'd like to know myself!)
I do know Tensor's Transformation is mandatory when I can start to use 6th lvl spells

[Luvian]

I don't see the point of playing a bard if you pick a blade. You might as well take a fighter. It really ruin the mood of the class. You go from a charming rogue who like music and dabble in the arcane art, to someone who specialise in fighting with swords.

[Mahlennacht]

Originally posted by Luvian: I don't see the point of playing a bard if you pick a blade. You might as well take a fighter. It really ruin the mood of the class. You go from a charming rogue who like music and dabble in the arcane art, to someone who specialise in fighting with swords.

I had the impression fighters were generally harder to solo with, for whatever reasons. And I guess the motivation for the blade was that you could ROCK with that kit (so I've heard)... I actually don't find myself very good in hand-to-hand combat yet, so I have to rely on the bard's spell abilities a lot. (I'm new to soloing so I'm trying to avoid the difficult kits at first [img]smile.gif[/img] )

Personally, I can deal with a bard who happens to like flashing swords around... kind of a showoff... Kind of like practically every lead guitarist nowadays (yeah ok I play guitar too, so I know how we are )

But having played a true Bard as well, I know that character has its own fine points, especially the Lore & pickpocketing bonuses IMO, plus IIRC it could still swing a pretty mean Flail of Ages after some experience, so you can definitely consider that one too of course.

[Vedran]

Originally posted by Luvian: I don't see the point of playing a bard if you pick a blade. You might as well take a fighter. It really ruin the mood of the class. You go from a charming rogue who like music and dabble in the arcane art, to someone who specialise in fighting with swords.

Not so true. Read this, an extract from Bard's Handbook(r):
Blades are master artisans with bladed weapons. Everyone has seen a Blade in action at fairs and carnivals. They are the knife throwers who pop balloons while blindfolded and swallow slender sabers such as those used by lawless pirates on the high seas.
Blades also perform amazing displays of weapon skill and control as they flash various weapons all about their bodies with deadly precision. Oriental Blades are perhaps the most skilled at this particular art form. Using weapons such as the three-piece rod, nunchaku, or the katana, Oriental Blades put on amazing displays of rapid weapon movement, including offensive and defensive spins, katas, and ritual dances. Occidental Blades are also impressive, as they rapidly spin short swords, quarterstaves, or sickles about them.
Besides rapid displays of weapon skill, Blades also perform slow, elegant dances, involving incredibly precise movement and timing. These dances include thrusts, lunges, leaps, graceful arcs, etc.
If there is a showy way to wield, throw, or perform with a weapon, a Blade knows how to do it better than anyone.
Role: Blades have great reputations as the most deadly weapon masters in the land. This is generally far from the truth. Any warrior is more skilled than most Blades at successfully attacking opponents. Blades don't understand offensive and defensive weapon maneuvers, nor do they know the locations of vital body parts. Blades can be effective in many combat situations, however, as they use flash and flare to enhance their attacks.
Imagine what an orc would think if it was trapped in a cavern with only two exits and a man blocking each. One man (a warrior) wears plate mail and is calmly holding a long sword; the other (a Blade) is dressed in solid black studded leather armor and is grasping a halberd. Both men advance upon the hapless orc, but the Blade begins rotating his halberd in an ever-quickening offensive spin, demonstrating masterful control of his weapon. Which opponent will the orc choose?
Blades are valuable aids to any party, as their amazing displays can have significant effects upon the resolve and morale of opponents.
For every Blade who leads an adventurous life, there is another who serves in the role of assassin. Blades make perfect killers, as they know how to climb walls, cast wizard spells, and use any weapon they choose. Furthermore, Blades can use their performing personae to gather information and even get themselves invited to perform within the homes of their victims.

[Luvian]

Yes, in pen and paper, you can roleplay them as roghish entertainer, but in a crpg, they are just a different kind fighter.

[Butterfingers]

Skalds and Jesters both work well for soloing.

Skalds are quite fun, in the end, my solo Skald hardly even had a weapon equipped. He was a full time singer. Earth Elementals, Fire Elementals, Air Elementals, and Skeleton Warriors are very powerful when backed by Skald song. They also get a very beefy Spider Spawn seeing as how they level so quickly and can gain higher levels then a mage in a stock SoA game.

Jesters play differently. Passive is best used to describe the play style. Basically, stay invisible and sing. When monsters start hitting Badly Wounded, cast Death Spell or Cloudkill to make sure you get the experience, as confused monsters killing each other gets you no experience. Your song also helps your summons, but, in a very different way. Confused monsters are just as likely to whack one another, meaning your summons get hit less. (With luck)

[daan]

Though deathspell doesnt work any better on a wounded than on a uninjured creature. Deathspell looks at a creature's Max.HP.

If that Max. HP exceeds d8 HP, the creature is immune to the effects.
If the creature's Max.HP is below d8 HP, it dies ... no matter what his current HP is. ( So anything under 64 HP dies )

If you bring a creature with 120 HP down to 1 HP and then cast deathspell .. nothing happens, ( except offcourse if he was non-gated in ).

P.s. Another Mac Bug perhaps ?

[Butterfingers]

All I know is, if I bring it down below about 60 or so hit points, Death Spell works.

There are a lot of screwy things in this game.

[daan]

Does make deathspell an incredibly powerfull spell though .. essentially a
mass powerword: Kill (lvl. 9 )
Lol,.. sure.. I'll memorize a -powerword: Kill- so I can kill 1 creature that goes below 60 hp. I mean, casting deathspell which is faster and kills everything below 64 hp is just too easy [img]tongue.gif[/img]